1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to image forming technology in an image forming apparatus using liquid which exhibits electrorheological properties.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, inkjet recording apparatuses have come to be used widely as data output apparatuses for outputting images, documents, or the like. By driving nozzles provided in a print head in accordance with data, an inkjet recording apparatus is able to form data onto a recording medium, such as recording paper, by means of ink ejected from the nozzles.
If streaks, non-uniformities, or the like, occur, and color mixing arises whereby the inks of different colors mix together on the medium when a color image is formed, then the image quality declines markedly. In order to reduce decline in the quality of the print image, a method has been proposed in which an image is formed on media by using an ink having electrorheological (ER) properties which increases in viscosity when an electric field is applied to same.
In the image forming method described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-212149, an electrorheological fluid is used as a recording material having electrorheological properties, and by applying an electric field to the recording member after applying the recording material to the recording member, permeation of the recording material into the recording member is prevented, and streaking, decline in recording density, and the like, are prevented.
In the recording apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-4342, a recording liquid having electrorheological properties is applied by a recording head to an intermediate medium on which an electric field is formed, excessive spreading or color mixing of the dots is prevented by increasing the viscosity of the recording liquid on the intermediate transfer medium, and transfer from the intermediate transfer medium to a transfer receiving medium is performed when the recording liquid is in a state of increased viscosity due to drying, or a state of increased viscosity due to the electrorheological properties of the recording liquid.
In the recording apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-4343, droplets of recording liquid having electrorheological properties are applied by a recording head onto a transfer receiving medium to which an electric field is applied, the viscosity of the recording liquid on the transfer receiving medium is increased, thereby preventing streaking, bleeding, and color mixing of the dots formed by the recording liquid, and the electric field is maintained while the recording liquid proceeds to dry and permeate into the transfer receiving medium, until a stage where no bleeding or color mixing is produced.
In the image forming method described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-212149, and the recording apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 5-4342 and 5-4343, the electrorheological properties of a recording material or recording liquid are displayed by applying an electric field to a recording member, intermediate transfer body or transfer receiving medium, and in these methods, an electric field is not generated in the actual recording material or recording liquid itself, and therefore, it may be considered that the recording material or recording liquid cannot be made to display effective electrorheological properties.